The Transfer
by FadingAshes
Summary: Hermione has spent the past few years living with her father and studying in Beauxbaton. But now she's transferred to Hogwarts, better than ever, but with an overprotective big brother and his peculiar group of friends. And with the school bully Harry Potter marking her target and a Draco Malfoy luring her with his charms...life takes an unexpected turn. AU. OOC. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Am I sad? Yes, you could say that. I am **_**distressed**_**.**

**A/N: Hello readers who have stumbled upon this story! Some of you might be reading my other chapter-story **_Veela Chaos_**. And yes, please continue to do so, but also please FOLLOW THIS STORY! Have I been too persistent? My humble apologies. And finally so we can move on, HAPPY READINGS! (sorry for all the capitalized words)**

It was a perfectly mundane Monday morning. Birds of all kind were chirping, people bustled around in their robes in the Wizarding world; Fang nearly bowled Hagrid over as the boarhound gave its usual very wet morning greeting.

Yes, everything was perfectly normal and mundane.

But the thoughts in Hermione's brilliant mind were anything _but_.

_What if they don't like me? What if I'll be bullied and pushed around like last time? _She paced in the room where a stern looking teacher by the name of Minerva McGonagall instructed her to stay until she heard her name called. ("_We haven't had a transfer for years_! _And _Beauxbaton_ to be exact_!") Hermione wringed her wrists, it was a good thing her wrists were slender yet hard, or else it would have been amputated ages ago.

_Oh god, oh god. _She quickly conjured a mirror and checked herself, _Thank god for magic!_ She whipped out her wand and pointed the blessed stick at her head. Instantly, the bushy brown tendrils became glossy brown hair that curled in waves down her back. With magic, she no longer had to deal with 'the Beast'.

_Oh god, what if they keep on calling me that foul M-word even in Hogwarts? _She mentally slapped herself. _Get a grip, Hermione! Brightest Witch of Her Age, remember? Show them that a muggleborn can beat them all! _

She puffed her chest out proudly as several gold sparks flew from her wand.

_Keep a low profile_, Jack's warning suddenly rang in her head.

She sighed.

Jack was the best older brother anyone could wish for. With a head mopped with locks of brown curls and forest green eyes which he had inherited from his father, he was carelessly handsome. Not to mention he was unbelievably, irritatingly, obnoxiously way too overprotective of her.

_Keep a low profile_.

As if she wanted to do was go prancing around Hogwarts, singing "My name is Hermy! Hermione Gra-anger!" to the tune of the 'Toreador Song' from _Carmen_ and make big brother crazy.

Despite how nervous she was, she couldn't fight down the fond smile that lifted the corners of her lips as she thought of her brother.

They were both going to be in seventh grade seeing as Jack was only a few months older than her, (As he always likes to point out smugly) so they were in the same grade.

When he was in Hogwarts while she was in Beauxbaton, and when he live with their mother while she lived with their father due to their parents' work arrangements, they would text and call each other nonstop with their phone and sometimes with their owl, too. It was the only way they could keep up with each other and to avoid missing each other like hell. Then everything changed when Hermione bursted into tears on one call and begged their mom to let her come live with them and study in Hogwarts instead of attending Beauxbaton and living with her sick excuse of a father. The siblings were practically inseparable ever since she moved to London.

"Engelman, Lucy!" Minerva McGonagall called in the background as first years were being sorted into Houses by the Sorting Hat. A few moments later came the shout of "RAVENCLAW!" from the Sorting Hat.

Despite her nervousness, she couldn't help but jump a little as excitement fizzed through her veins.

_I'm going to study here in Hogwarts! _She mentally sang to herself gleefully, _I'm going to study here in Hoggy-Wartty Hogwarts! _

_They have a huge library filled with books of all kind, _Jack had told her and she made a mental note to herself to raid the library as soon as she got the chance.

"Joffrey, David!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Hermione wondered which House she would be sorted in. She hoped she would be in Gryffindor like her brother, Jack said it was the bravest and noblest House filled with heroes of all kind.

And it was the House of the famous Harry Potter.

Hermione had read all about him and couldn't wait to meet the boy-hero despite that Jack always complained viciously how arrogant Potter was, how he's such a show-off, how he's the biggest man-whore in the entire school.

But Hermione was sure he was just jealous. Or maybe wanted a lightning bolt scar on his forehead to display to everyone, Hermione wouldn't mind drawing it on her brother's forehead with a marker. Yes, she was sure Jack was just jealous.

"Wulbert, Henry!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Hermione started pacing in circles again, faster than before, and that was saying something. Then she stopped when she felt herself becoming dizzy, she straightened her magenta robes and patted her hair again before repeating the process until finally—

"Let's give all the new first years a round of applause!" Hermione heard Professor McGonagall announce then the deafening sound of cheers and applauses followed shortly.

"Welcome to another year of Hogwarts!" A man boomed with a voice laced with layers and layers of wisdom.

Hermione strode to the door and peeked out from the small crack in the door to see the speaker, the owner of the voice was an old man with a long white beard, and behind half-moon spectacles were twinkling eyes that were the color of electric blue. She assumed that this man was the famous Albus Dumbledore.

"We have delighting news this year!" He said as silence fell like a hush among everyone.

_This is it_, she told herself as her nerves started buzzing with excitement again.

Dumbledore continue. "We have a new transfer from Beauxbaton; she will attend Hogwarts for her seventh year. And to see which House our wise Sorting Hat will place her, let us all welcome Hermione Jean Granger!"

Her heartbeats speeded up.

She took a deep breath that rattled on the way in and pushed the door open and strode across the Great Hall towards the stool where the Sorting Hat was perched on. In the corner of her vision, she saw all the students and teachers craning their necks to get a good look at the transfer. She reached with trembling hands to pull the hat over her head.

There were a few moments of silence, then—"Oh interesting! Very interesting indeed!" The Sorting Hat murmured. "Incredible! Just look at your brains, girl! Ravenclaw would suffice…but I have seen something else too, Miss, you have courage…very brave. Dauntless indeed, a Gryffindor trait. Smart and cunning, Hermione, you think before you act like a true Slytherin. But within you holds unwavering loyalty, just like dear ol' Helga."

_Gryffindor, please Gryffindor_. Hermione chanted in her mind. _Like my brother._

"Gryffindor, eh?" The Sorting Hat chuckled. "Then as you wish it—GRYFFINDOR!"

Applause and cheers sounded once again and as she placed the hat back on the stool and made her way shakily to the Gryffindor table, Dumbledore called, "Now, let us eat! _Bon Appétit_!"

The Great Hall was suddenly filled with the clanging of utensils on plates and goblets on table.

A handsome boy with unruly black hair and green eyes behind a pair of spectacles wriggled his eyebrows at her suggestively as she walked past, and asked in a smug tone. "You know who I am, don't you?"

Hermione looked at him confusedly until her eyes rested on the lightning bolt scar and realization dawned on her face as he opened his mouth again. "Wanna sit with me, hottie? You don't want to make the wrong sort of friends." He smirked and beckoned her to join him in an arrogant manner.

Crowded around him were a bunch of girls that seemed to be his admirers and Hermione eyed a pretty red-haired girl warily in particular as she clutched the boy-hero's arm like there was no tomorrow. Judging by her claw-like hold, Hermione was almost convinced that there really _was_ no tomorrow.

Hermione frowned. "No thank you, Harry Potter."

"My, my." He feigned surprise. "If you do know who I am, why aren't you bowing down to me like you're supposed to?"

Hermione flushed with anger and she stuffed her clenched fists into her robe pockets. "Just because you defeated Voldemort—" a red-haired boy with freckles who sat across Harry gasped, "—doesn't make you superior among everyone else. People might be grateful, yes, but that doesn't give you an excuse to just—"

"Hermione! Over here!" She whipped her head towards the familiar voice and a smile lit her face as she spotted her brother waving at her from the other end of the table.

Without sparing another glance at the seething boy-hero, she made her way towards Jack.

As soon as she was within hugging range, Jack launched himself at her and enveloped her into a bear hug.

"Oh you little munchkin," He nuzzled into her glossy hair, "I missed you so much!"

She giggled. "It's only been an hour, Jack!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He ruffled her hair, ignoring her protests. "I'm so proud of you, Hermy—"

"—_don't_ call me that—!"

"—now come and let me introduce you to my closest friends."

He released her and together, they sat near the end of the Gryffindor, and far away from Harry Potter, Hermione noted happily.

Jack wedged between a dark-skinned boy and a pretty girl whose face resembled a pug. Hermione took seat reluctantly beside a striking blond boy with grey eyes who sat across the dark-skinned boy. And on her other side sat a mousy-haired boy who had a sort of a round face.

"Who's your hot girlfriend, Granger?" A boy called from the Slytherin Table as the rest of his friends eyed Hermione.

Jack bristled and the dark-skinned boy placed a hand on his arm to calm him down.

"Yeah, I'd like to know how you hooked up with the transfer within seconds!" Potter yelled from his seat as many heads turned towards Hermione.

Hermione flushed red with anger and she was just about to give Harry a piece of her mind—she had lots—when Jack shot up from his eat and howled to the heavens. "She's my _sister_ you bloody nitwits!"

Potter's jaw gaped wide and gossip started flying back and forth.

"…Sweet Merlin! That hot girl is Jack Granger's sister…?"

"…Jack has a sister?..."

"…Why didn't any of us know about her…?"

"…Damn, I'd kill to have a figure like hers…."

"…Looks like hotness runs in the family…"

Giggles followed shortly and Jack looked like he's ready to kill someone.

Hermione wasn't surprised. She had always thought that deep, deep, and deep inside him, he always had a killer vibe buried within his soul.

Instead he settled for grabbing a knife and stabbing a fried chicken drumstick with passion until it no longer looked like something edible, instead it looked like something the cat left behind on the doorstep.

The pug-faced yet pretty girl timidly grabbed the knife out of his hands and whacked his head with her palm after she placed the knife back on the table. "Jack, where are your manners? Introduce us!" She said with a scowl.

Jack smiled, the previous events forgotten, pointed at the pug-faced girl who grabbed his finger and pushed it down muttering. "Pointing is rude."

Jack nodded towards her and said. "This girl who looks like she's got some pretty serious temper issues—ow woman you've got one helluva kick—is Pansy Parkinson. Slytherin."

"I'm Blaise Zabini. Slytherin. Pleasure to meet you." The dark-skinned boy offered Hermione his hand.

"Likewise." She beamed and shook his hand enthusiastically. He winced after she let go and wiggled his fingers to get the feeling back.

"Sorry about that." Hermione grinned, not sounding sorry at all.

"Yeah," Jack rolled his eyes, "She always was enthusiastic.

"Then that means good in bed, I guess." The blonde boy smirked. Hermione couldn't help but notice how extraordinary his eyes and face were. His skin was as pale as snow. His eyes were the shade of a rainy day. He had an aristocratic face, a strong jaw line, and a sculptured nose—_no_ she was not checking him out. She was _not_ staring inappropriately at him. It was just a mere observation. Yes, just an observation.

"If anyone lays a finger on her," Jack snarled, his face changing abruptly, "I swear to God I will kill them."

Blaise didn't doubt him in the slightest. In fourth grade when someone had eaten the two pizzas Jack had claimed, two chairs had ended up across the room and a bloody nose had ensued.

And this was his _sister_. His baby sister was way important than two pieces of pizzas, so there was no doubt that Jack meant his threat.

"Chill, Jack," The blonde chuckled. "I was just joking." He looked at Hermione. "Name's Draco Malfoy. Slytherin. Hot. Handsome. Desirable. Irresist—"

"She gets it, I think." Pansy snapped irritatingly though her fond smile suggested otherwise.

"My-my n-name is Neville." The mousy-haired boy offered Hermione a shy smile. "Neville Longbottom. Gryffindor."

"Hello all of you." Hermione grinned, waving at each one in turn before asking. "If you guys are in Slytherin, then how come you're sitting in the Gryffindor Table mixing with the likes of us?"

"Yeah, we should be." Blaise nodded. "But we choose to sit _here_."

"I just _love_ breaking tradition." Pansy sighed contentedly as she chewed on a piece of bacon. "Just imagine our ancestors rolling around in their graves."

"My father's the problem." Draco scooped up a spoonful of mashed potatoes. "Not my mother. She doesn't believe in all those muggleborn bullshit."

"That's very kind of you guys." Hermione nodded, taking a sip from her goblet of pumpkin juice.

"It's called common sense." Blaise shrugged then suddenly bowed his head down. "Don't look behind! _Don't look_! She's behind you!"

Hermione looked.

It was a girl. An extraordinary looking girl. She had long platinum blonde hair that hung down in ringlets down her back, radishes earring dangled from her earlobes, large bluish-grey eyes that stared dreamily, and was dressed in baggy Ravenclaw blue robes.

And she was pretty.

So that probably explained a _little_ why Blaise was blushing scarlet and refusing to look up.

"Hello Hermione." The girl said in a faraway tone. "My name is Luna Lovegood. It is very nice to meet you and the Wrackspurts really like you as well."

Hermione had no idea what Wrackspurts were. And she did not want to know, therefore she did not ask.

She had a feeling that it would be social suicide.

"Hi Luna!" Neville chirped and casted a look at Blaise who was now sipping his pumpkin juice quietly. "Come sit with us."

Blaise froze.

Luna smiled gratefully and skipped along the table to slide next to Blaise on the seat.

Blaise choked and spluttered on his drink.

"Oh no!" Luna cried. "He's dying! Quick, Blaise! Any last words?" She whipped out a parchment and quill from her robe pockets. "What type of flower would you like on your tomb? Wha-"

"I-I'm f-fine." Blaise coughed out as Jack handed him a tissue.

"Okay." Luna said. "That's a relief."

She patted his back before started to munch on a pancake.

"He'd taking a liking to Luna since second year." Draco whispered out of the corner of his mouth to her.

Hermione smiled and reached into her robe pockets to fish out six mega-large Hershey's bar. Ignoring the stunned gapes of her newly made friends, she ripped the plastic wrapping off one of them and broke a big square of it. Before it was engulfed whole by her mouth—which for some reason Draco couldn't stop staring at—she gave the square of chocolate an appreciative kiss.

Six pairs of eyes blinked.

Jack sighed disapprovingly. "Are you trying to give yourself heart attack?"

She shrugged as chocolate frosted lips lifted up in a smile before—not swallowing the previous one—stuffing another square of chocolate in her mouth.

Jack heaved another sigh before turning to his friends, he explained, "My little sis here is a candyholic. And has a major sweet tooth. Bad things happen to Hermy when she's around candy, usually resulting in a situation where she just can't shut her mouth even if her life depended on it, and sprouting out pieces of random and useless information while at it." He took a deep breath before continuing to ramble. "Last time she visited me and mom, all she had was a jar of Skittles, and you wouldn't believe _how long_ she wouldn't shut up about this Spit—"

"—it's S.P.E.W—!" Hermione cried indignantly after swallowing her mouthful of chocolate.

"What's spew?" Pansy asked, confusion clouding her light brown eyes.

"Society for the Promotion of the Elfish Welfare, and it's _S.P.E.W_! Not spew or spit or spurt or—"

"Ok we get the idea." Blaise raised a hand to interrupt while the rest of them looked warily around for any sign of candy, wanting to hide them from Hermione's wandering eyes.

Chocolate was her life source. But her brother didn't approve. Ergo she would simply carry on her illicit love affair with chocolate, if need be.

In the corner of Hermione hawk-like vision, she saw Neville plunge his hands into his pockets nervously.

And there was a bump in the pocket.

It could have been anything, maybe his wand or a quill or a spare piece of rolled parchment. But Hermione was a professional candyholic—if such things existed—and therefore she could tell candy when she saw one.

She gave Neville a suspicious glare.

As though realizing he was the current subject of her scrutiny, he turned around and caught Hermione's eye. He jumped and immediately turned away, trembling with terror; he tried to look very concentrated on buttering a toast.

Without taking her eyes away from his pocket, Hermione reached out a hand and demanded in a business-like tone. "Give."

"G-g-give w-wh-what?" Neville managed squeaked out.

"Candy. In your pockets." Hermione's eyes never wavered from her target. "Chocolate frogs by the looks of it. Hand over the chocolate frogs, and nobody gets hurt."

_She's gone mental_ was the thought that flashed in the mind of her new friends. _I mean, not that she always wasn't mental. But now it's out in the open for everyone to see!_

Hermione turned to give them a death glare. "I'm good at Legilimency."

The little remaining colors in their faces completely drained out.

Neville looked desperately at the others for help. But they all looked equally terrified, except for Jack who had an amused mask covering his terror; he already had been used to Hermione's antics since long ago but still was terrified every time she became a candy tyrant.

"W-w-we're friends, r-right?" Neville stammered out. "And-and friends d-don't hurt each other."

"Friends don't hurt each other by denying them their life source." Hermione said without missing a beat.

Jack made a poor attempt of trying to stifle his snort of amusement.

"Li-life so-source?" Neville gave a nervous high-pitched giggle. "I-I can give you…ah…I—"

"I repeat." Hermione interrupted him and demanded once again. "Hand over the chocolate frogs and nobody, _nobody_, gets hurt."

"Jus-just do it!" Pansy squeaked, clutching to Luna who had her own arms wrapped around the Slytherin girl. "Give it to her! I don't want to die! I'm too young to die! I'm too pretty to die! I don't want to die a virgin! _Wait_, oh right, I'm _not_! But I _still_ don't want to die—!"

"Here!" Neville almost shouted. He dug out eight chocolate frogs from his pocket before timidly placing them in Hermione's outstretched hand and withdrawing his hand immediately.

It was like feeding a feral animal.

Hermione kept her hands outstretched. She gave Neville a pointed look and he sighed heavily before digging out another eight chocolate frogs from his other pocket and handing it to her.

"Thank you!" Hermione's face made an abrupt change and while others heaved a sigh of relief she gave her prize a wary look over and a tentative sniff.

She waited.

She didn't die.

She ripped off the wrapping and threw the cards away—which landed in Neville's goblet—and popped it into her mouth.

Draco tried to rip his gaze away from her perfect rosy cupid-bow lips which were a little smudged with chocolate. He resisted the urge to reach out and wipe the smudges off for her. But he figured it would just earn him a very attractive red handprint on his very attractive cheek.

He resisted the urge to bang his head repeatedly against the table until all thoughts of the brunette left his mind.

He came very close to defeat.

He noticed Pansy shooting him looks with a knowing smirk on her face.

He felt a the familiar hand on his shoulder and turned around to press his lips to Astoria Greengrass's lips, glad for the distraction as he started playing an intense game of tonsil tennis with her. He blocked out his friends' gagging as he explored Astoria's mouth with his prodding tongue, making her moan.

Draco Malfoy did not chase after girls. They came to him. And it was true that they never lasted more than a few days, never longer than a week. Some of them didn't even make it through the day; he was a _kiss and leave_ kind of guy. He broke all of their hearts, but the thing was he didn't really care.

His popularity was never decimated, so why on earth was he having trouble tearing his eyes from this innocent-looking—he was starting to doubt it—brunette who was one of his best friends' baby sister?

But then Hermione came along.

Jack had once told them that his little sister was coming to Hogwarts, Draco didn't really pay attention.

Obviously Jack's memory was off, or Hermione was an imposter, because he had described his little sister as a, "_chocolate munchkin with a mouth full of razor and a serious vertically challenged genetic disorder_."

Draco had instantly thought that Hermione wasn't his type. At all.

And besides he had Astoria, who just kept coming back every time he was done with her and pushed her away. Astoria was totally his type. Willowy and tall figure, long straight glossy hair, sizeable…assets, slender legs that went on for miles, and dark seductive eyes.

But then _she_ came. And suddenly, was _here_.

Hermione had long brown hair that hung down her back in glossy curls. And it made his fingers itch to run through them. Large deep brown doe-eyes that had depths of intelligence. Creamy skin. She had a petite and small figure with curves at the right places, but somehow her slender legs still managed to seem long. Her features were delicate and exotic like a nymphs'. Scatter some glitters and beams of light then he might just believe that she was some fallen goddess from Mount Olympus.

As Astoria weaved her fingers into his hair, he sighed internally.

He wanted _Hermione_.

And suddenly in his mind, Astoria's dark seductive eyes were replaced by innocent and intelligent brown ones. Astoria's seductive purring and cooing was replaced by Hermione's light laughter that sounded like the chiming of bells.

He shoved Astoria away from him and said in a firm and clear voice. "No."

"B-but Dra—!" She started to complain then he pointedly turned away from her so she pouted and stalked away and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "I'll be back."

He didn't doubt her.

He pretended not to notice others exchanging relieved glances and shoved a piece of bacon into his mouth.

_He wanted Hermione_.

But Jack had already threatened to kill anyone who showed the slightest interest to Hermione.

And even if he wanted her, he would never admit it.

_But you just did_, an irritating but extremely sexy voice in his head said snidely.

_Shut up_, he told the voice.

It didn't reply. Did he expect it to reply? Was it supposed to reply?

Draco mentally slapped himself.

First sign of madness: Talking to oneself.

Hermione scooped the rest of the chocolates from the table and dunked it into her pockets.

"Brother dear," she chimed.

Jack grunted.

"Can you please show me to where I will be sleeping?" Hermione asked.

"Sure, and that would be the Gryffindor Girl's Dormitory." He answered before wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Come on, sis," he went over to the other side of the table and before leading her away, they both bid their friends goodnight.

After the double-doors closed in their retreat, Pansy smirked at him, "You've got it bad, Draco, real bad. So is she the new _girl of the month_?"

"What do you mean?" He asked, playing innocent. "We just met her."

"Love at first sight!" Luna sang as Blaise shot her a fond smile—Draco pretended not to notice that too.

"Shut up, all of you." He hissed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He also pretended not to notice Neville who muttered a small, "sure you don't."

And meanwhile Draco suffered the scrutiny of his friends, Jack walked Hermione towards the Gryffindor Tower along the hallways.

"I hope," Jack cleared his throat as his eyes darted left and right. Hermione groaned in her head. She knew _that_ voice. She knew what was coming, "that you aren't in any affair right now?"

_Oh yes, brother dear, I am!_ _We are planning to run away naked and elope next month without you noticing! Also, did I tell you I'm pregnant?_

"No, Jack, I'm not." Hermione sighed.

Jack's tense posture relaxed slightly. "Don't attract too much attention, yeah?"

_That'll be hard_. "Can I answer in class?"

"Of course," He answered her with a roll of his eyes, "just not too many times."

"'Kay." She lied through her teeth.

"Okay, here we are." He looked up to the Fat Lady. "_Gruckahs Garsol_. Hermione, that's the password to the Gryffindor common room, remember it well."

The Fat Lady swung back to let them through, but not without scrutinizing Hermione from head to toe as she climbed through.

"And the girl's dormitory is on the left." Jack said.

"Thanks, brother dear." Hermione turned to him, smiled, and gave him a bone-crushing hug.

"Damn, Hermy," He groaned after she released him, "for someone so small, you're so strong."

The smile slid away from her face as she remembered a voice, cold and cruel, _You useless whore! Follow my instructions! Don't talk back! You're useless! You're so weak! You're so helpless! You're so fuckin' weak! Give up hope! You're nothing! You are nothing!_

"Hermy?" Her brother scanned her face worriedly and she instantly plastered a smile to her face again. "You okay?"

"Me? I've never been so good in my life!" She beamed, and this time it was real. She now had new friends. A new life. New opportunities. It was now up to her to make the decisions to do what she wanted, where she wanted to go. And she didn't need to cower in his presence again. Not anymore.

"Is it…you know…" Jack paused and whispered. "_him_?"

The smile slid from her face again, followed by a lone tear.

"Sshhh…" Jack embraced her and she trembled in her brother's secure cage of arms. "…that fucking bastard can't hurt you anymore…we'll protect you. He's rotting in hell."

"I know." She gulped as another tear traced a path down her cheek, she looked so vulnerable and sad Jack's heart almost broke and he tightened his hold on her. "But it still hurts so much!"

_Nobody_ could hurt his little sister again. They would have to go through _him_ first.

"Not too tight, Jack." Hermione whimpered. "It still hurts."

Jack withdrew and kissed her forehead, "I'm so sorry. I love you, little sis, now go to have your beauty sleep."

She sniffled.

In a playful tone, Jack added. "Trust me when I say you really need it." Of course Jack was just kidding; his sister was too attractive for her own good.

She squeaked in outrage and punched his arm.

"Ow!" Jack frowned. "For someone so tiny, Hermy, you sure can pack a punch when you want to."

She giggled and gave him another brief hug. "Thank you." She whispered before running to the girl's dormitory.

Jack watched her until the door closed, the smile he was faking slid off.

He sighed.

His sister had always seemed so carefree and happy. But it was just a mask to cover the hurt she was feeling inside. She still needed time to both emotionally and physically recover

He clenched his hands into fists.

He wanted to strangle the person that did this to her with his bare hands, then beat him bloody with his own limbs. He chuckled darkly and got to his feet and headed to the boy's dormitory. Too bad that person was dead already.

Meanwhile, in the girl's dormitory, she checked each door before finding her name magically engraved above Ginny Weaseley and Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil

She opened the door.

"Hello!" A shrill voice greeted her ears and she tried not to flinch. A girl with blonde curls bounded up to her and grabbed her gently by the shoulders. "Hello transfer! Want a makeover?"

"Oh pretty please?" A dark-skinned girl with her black hair in a long braid asked with a friendly grin. "I'm Parvati, by the way."

"Name's Lavender!" The blonde girl piped.

Hermione, stunned by their greetings, instinctively nodded. They took this as the wrong way and squealed so loudly Hermione resisted the urge to yowl, _I'm deaf and it's your entire fault_!

It was hard.

"But not tonight!" Hermione yelped hastily once she regained her ability to speak and they pouted. "Maybe tomorrow?"

"_Yes_!" They giggled then squealed simultaneously. "Thanks!" Then they bounded to their bed where they drew their curtains.

She noticed the other girl had not arrived yet. She was probably still in the Great Hall.

Hermione heaved a weary sigh as she climbed over to her bed and drew the curtains tight. And as she closed her eyes and sleep lured her deeper into dreams, a smile lit her sleep-softened face as she realized that her first day in Hogwarts had went successfully.

**A/N: Was that enjoyable? Good? Bad? Please review! I'm so nervous about this and I really hope you guys enjoyed this. And the title of this story might change, because I don't think it' good enough. If you have any suggestions, please tell me. Thanks! R&R!**

**Until next chapter,**

**-Ashes**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.**

**A/N: Thanks to those who followed and favored! And special thanks to the guest review! Read on! Enjoy!**

It was probably at the crack of dawn when felt herself shaken awake and opened her eyes to Lavender and Parvatis' worried ones.

Her nightmare still drummed steadily behind her eyes so she took deep breaths to calm down.

She opened her mouth to speak but her throat felt raw and ached with a vengeance. So she settled for a tired twitch of her lips.

They didn't look amused in the slightest.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Lavender asked, her blond eyebrows hiked up high on her forehead.

Hermione felt confused. Why wasn't she okay? A little part in her gnawed at her: her throat was too dry; her tongue was sticking to the roof of her mouth; her bed sheets were tangled between her legs and her pillow was on the ground.

"You woke us up with your screaming." Parvati said with a slightly trembling voice.

_Shit_.

She had forgotten to place a silencing charm around her bed.

And they started telling Hermione what had happened in graphic details. She had been screaming her head off and she woke the other girls up. She had been thrashing and flailing in her sleep as though trying to fight off an invisible boogeyman.

"Finally," a snooty voice called from the other bed across the room. "I thought that bitch wouldn't shut the fuck up."

Lavender turned around and shot a glare into the darkness.

"Be quiet, Ginny!" Parvati scowled. "Don't be so mean!"

"Now that you've stopped howling like a banshee, I would like to get back to sleep without your disturbance again." Ginny snipped in a clipped tone as she turned over with a scoff and started snoring gently.

"Don't mind her." Parvati whispered to Hermione who was still staring in surprise at the redheads' hostility. "She just doesn't like people who she sees as a threat to her life."

"Me?" Hermione croaked disbelievingly, "a threat?"

Lavender chuckled and picked up the fallen pillow and stuffed it gently under Hermiones' head. "Have you seen how pretty you are?"

"Me? Pretty?" She asked, feeling lightheaded with confusion. "Never mind, I just want to get back to sleep, you should sleep too."

"But what about—" Lavender started.

"It was a nightmare," she assured them, "just a nightmare and I apologize for making so much trouble."

They both looked unconvinced but Parvati smiled and with a whispered "good night" she and Lavender crept back to their beds.

Hermione whispered a silencing charm before closing her eyes once more.

Within minutes, the room was filled with soft snores, occasionally broken by barely audible whimpers and sobs.

.

.

.

.

The second time she woke was when she felt fur tickling her nostrils.

She sneezed and heard a growl of disgust from whatever—or whoever—she just sneezed on.

She opened her eyes blearily to two hazy amber moons. But once her eyes adjusted to the light, she realized that the moons were _eyes_.

She sat up abruptly and the cat fell off her chest to her lap with another growl.

"Crookshanks!" She cried. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry I left you in the cage!"

Crookshanks purred in a forgiving manner, his bristling fur lying flat again.

Then something hit Hermione.

"Wait…then how did you get out—oh right." She said sheepishly. "Half-Kneazle does have some advantages, don't they, Crooks?"

Crookshanks purred again in a smug tone, rubbing his cheek against hers.

"Hermione!" Lavender greeted her cheerfully as she came out from the bathroom, already fully-clad in her Gryffindor uniform, red tie and all. "School's about to start, breakfast first in the Great Hall, chop-chop!"

"Merlin, I have to get ready!" Hermione exclaimed and ran to the bathroom to get changed, leaving Crookshanks curled contentedly on her bed.

Several minutes later she came out in her uniform and was immediately pounced on by Parvati and Lavender.

"Makeover time!" They sang gleefully as Hermione groaned.

They casted a charm that tamed her bushy hair into glossy curls that cascaded down her back, a charm that worked much better than the simple one she often used. They layered her lips with a thin layer of rose-colored lip-gloss that made her cupid-bow lips look naturally red and plump. Then came black eyeliner and they sprayed a little of the perfume that smelled like vanilla on her hair.

And when she looked in the mirror, she was delightfully surprised to see the change. She looked beautiful and she…liked it.

She wasn't one to really obsess over her looks, but she appreciated a little change once in a while.

"How do I look, Crooks?" She turned to her familiar and twirled around once.

The cat meowed his approval and scampered up to curl around her neck and splay its' body across her shoulders. How he did that without messing the hard work her new friends did for her or falling off was something beyond her knowledge.

"Thank you so much!" She threw her arms around the gleeful girls and they all laughed.

"Are you ready, Hermione?" Lavender asked.

"Yes." She answered and resisted the tempt to howl _I'm ready to rock! I'm ready to roll! I'm ready to kick asses! I was born ready!_

"She looks like something a wild beast mauled then left the carcass in the woods."

They turned around to see Ginny leaning against the doorframe with her pretty little nose turned up in scorn.

"You're just jealous, Ginny." Lavender snapped, shooting her a glare so deadly Hermione was a little surprised to see that Ginny had not dropped dead to the floor.

"You're so pathetic picking on new students." Parvati crossed her arms and flipped her braid over her shoulder angrily.

Ginny scoffed and whipped around and left, her hips swinging sensually from side to side.

Hermione figured easily that she was probably very popular with the male students.

Ginny Weasley was probably best known for the things she did on the mattress.

"Don't mind her, Hermione." Lavender assured her.

"I don't care what she thinks." Hermione said. "She has her opinions, I have my opinions, and everyone has their own opinions. Some are just stupid enough to speak the wrong opinions at the wrong time."

Lavender appraised her with new respect dawning in her eyes.

"That's too bad for her then." Parvati chirped cheerfully and guided them to the door. "Breakfast, don't despair, I'm coming!"

_To eat you up_, the little immature part in Hermiones' brain added with a giggle as the three girls set out for the Great Hall.

**A/N: Thank you for reading! Tell me what you think! And I will need an OC, and if you could PM me an imaginary character (boy) with the features and characteristics (preferably arrogant and man-caddish) that would be splendid! R&R!**

**With Love,**

**-Ashes**


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